Hibiscus plant named ‘HQ297’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant named ‘HQ297’, characterized by its upright, mounding, dense and bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; large white and purplish pink-colored flowers with red-colored throats; and good flower longevity.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HQ297’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee of the instant application, Graff Breeding A/S of Sabro, Denmark on Nov. 26, 2021, application number 2021/3049. Foreign priority is not claimed to this European Plant Breeder's Rights application.

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HQ297’.

The new Hibiscus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sabro, Denmark The objective of the breeding program is to create new strong Hibiscus plants with attractive and long-lasting flowers.

The new Hibiscus plant originated from a cross-pollination in August, 2016 in Sabro, Denmark of a proprietary selection of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis identified as code designation HQ-0272, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis identified as code designation HQ-3025, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hibiscus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabro, Denmark in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabro, Denmark since September, 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HQ297’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HQ297’ as anew and distinct Hibiscus plant:

-   -   1. Upright, mounding, dense and bushy plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large white and purplish pink-colored flowers with         red-colored throats.     -   6. Good flower longevity.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower longevity as flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus last about two to three days whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection last about one to two days.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus last about two to three         days whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection last         about one to two days.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Adonis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,592. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of ‘Adonis’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus are white and purplish         pink in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Adonis’ have solid         dark pink-colored flowers.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus last about two to three         days whereas flowers of plants of ‘Adonis’ last about three to         four days.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus have shorter and stronger         peduncles than plants of ‘Adonis’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HQ297’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 23-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Sabro, Denmark and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hibiscus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 40 to 50 klux. Plants were pinched one time about eight weeks after planting and plants were 26 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘HQ297’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis identified as code number HQ-0272, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis identified as code number HQ-3025, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at ambient             and soil temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four weeks at ambient             and soil temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight             weeks at ambient and soil temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About nine             weeks at ambient and soil temperatures about 24° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; color, close             to 158A, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Container plant; upright, mounding,             and bushy and dense plant habit; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches potentially forming at every node; pinching             enhances lateral branch development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 35 cm             to 55 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 35 cm to 45 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 12 cm to 20 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm to 7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; becoming woody with development.         -   Color.—Close to 138A; when woody, color becoming closer to             195A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single; numerous.         -   Length.—About 6 cm to 11 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Scattered pubescence;             venation prominent; glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 136A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A; venation,             close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to N138B; venation, close to 138B and 137A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to N200A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 137A.         -   Leaf stipules.—Quantity and arrangement: Two at the base of             the petiole, opposite. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Shape: Linear to lanceolate. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single-type flowers borne at terminal             leaf axils; uniform, continuous and freely flowering habit             with numerous flowers developing per plant; flowers face             mostly upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in the garden during             the spring and summer or during periods of warm weather; in             the greenhouse, plants can be flowered year-round; plants             begin flowering about 12 to 16 weeks after pinching.         -   Flower longevity.—Good flower longevity, flowers last for             about two to three days; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 13 cm to 18 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 9 cm to 10 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3 cm to 5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Rate of opening: Flowers buds open in about             three days. Length: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm             to 3 cm. Shape: Ovate to lanceolate. Color: Initially, close             to 145A; prior to opening, becoming closer to 35A with             venation, close to 145A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl; petals             imbricate. Length: About 9 cm to 10 cm. Width: About 8 cm to             9 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate to fan-shaped. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly flared and             undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Glabrous; rough             with a velvety appearance; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Glabrous, rough with a satiny appearance; slightly             glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Distally, close             to N155D and proximally, close to 54B. When opening, lower             surface: Distally, close to N155B and proximally, close to             158A and 49B. Fully opened, upper surface: Distally, close             to N155D and proximally, close to 55A; color does not change             with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Distally, close to N155B and proximally, close to 49B; color             does not change with subsequent development. Throat: Close             to 53A to 53B.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a             campanulate-shaped calyx. Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Width:             About 1 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Rough, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 138A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm             to 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 143A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Numerous,             more than 100. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color:             Close to 49A. Anther length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther             shape: Reniform. Anther color: Close to 22A. Amount of             pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium:             Pistil length: About 7 cm to 8 cm. Staminal column texture:             Smooth, waxy. Staminal column color: Close to 52A; towards             the base, close to 53A. Style length: About 7 cm;             five-parted at the apex. Style color: Close to 155A. Stigma             appearance: Five rounded stigma pads. Stigma pad color:             Close to 17A. Ovary color: Close to 155C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has             not been observed on plants of the new Hibiscus. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed     to have tolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Hibiscus not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Hibiscus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘HQ297’ as illustrated and described. 